Never too late
by hardcorecaryl-er
Summary: He was supposed to be protecting her. She didn't even know. This isn't the way he wanted to say it, but its never too late, right?
1. Daryl's POV

The grass seemed colder. The sky seemed grayer. My breath seemed shorter. There wasn't even that much blood. It wasn't that deep. I unbuttoned my shirt to look at it, I was right, the edges of the scratch were swollen. I got scratched ten minutes ago and I was already burning up like crazy.

I'm an idiot. I should shoot myself now. I don't wanna bite Carol. She doesn't even know... She asked me to go on this run with her...

* * *

"Please just come with me" she begged me

"Why, just get Rick"

"No!"

"Why not? "

"Because he can't protect me like you can"

I just looked at her as her eyes watered "No ones saved me as much you"

* * *

I hated myself so much more. She wants me to protect her. I'm just going to end up hurting her. She was still raiding this building by herself and I'm keeping watch as best as I can while dying at the same time.

"Daryl!" She screamed for me, something was wrong. I got up and ran, screw the pain in my chest, screw closing the shirt, screw the crossbow.

I ran into the building and saw her pinned down by three walkers. One of them was literally inches away from her neck. I shoved her to the floor and the walker bit intk mine instead. I heard her screaming. The other two walkers took an arm each. Carol put them down, one at a time. She was panicking, I could see it in her eyes. When she pulled the walker off my neck I fell to the ground. She fell to her knees by my side, eyes watering.

"Daryl, you could've put them down, you didn't have to-" she stopped when she saw me nodding.

I pulled open my shirt, she saw the scratch. "This..happened..outside" I couldn't catch my breath.

She put her hands over the bites on my neck.

"Carol..."

"No, save your strength" a tear rolled down her cheek. I reached up and wiped it away, smearing blood on her face at the same time.

"Carol.."

"Shh!" I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry"

"What are you sorry for? I asked you to come" she was talking through tears.

"For..everything. Not looking..for you. For...not...finding..Sophia" Even my eyes were watering up.

She just looked down at her lap and grabbed my hand.

"Carol,..you're..the most..important...person...to me... I came...home..for you. You're...my...every..reason."

I placed my bloody hand on her cheek "Carol..I love..you"

She simply cried harder in response. Then she came closer to me and lightly, so lightly kissed me. She put her hand in my hair, like it would make me feel better. It kinda did.

"I'm..sorry..Carol"

"Shh, don't talk" she was shaking harder than I was. I kept my hand on her cheek and watched her eyes. I was gonna miss those beautiful blue eyes.

I didn't feel warm anymore. I didn't feel the blood even though I knew that it was flowing down my neck and into my ears. I couldn't feel anything. I stopped shaking. My breath was cut short. My hand fell from Carol's face and onto her lap. I closed my eyes so she wouldn't have to see them empty.


	2. Carol's POV

I just looked at his hand. Just laying there, covered in his own blood. I didn't want to but I had to look at his face. Covered in blood, he closed his eyes before he died. I grabbed I rag and tried to wipe the blood away. The blood on the scratch was dry. I got some off of his arms, but his neck was still bleeding so I gave up.

I put my hand back on his head and basically pet his hair. I couldn't stop crying. He just told me he loved me, seconds before he died. I didn't say anything back, not even out of pity, but I doubt he would've wanted me to out of pity.

I already missed him. Those little Dixon smirks that he would only give to me. Those nights when he was my last hope, my best friend. It just made me cry harder when I thought of never seeing him again. Never hearing another kind word, or his awkward, mumbling advice. That one night when we kept watch together and he gave me his poncho to block the cold. I knew he cared about me, but I just hope that he knew how much I cared about him.

"I love you too" I kissed his forehead even though he couldn't feel it.


	3. The turning process (Daryl's POV)

Everything was flashing around like crazy. So fast. I wanted to pause it so I could spend more time in my memories than in my death.

* * *

"Don't leave me here with him!" When I was nine and screaming at Merle telling him to stay. He just got on his bike and left.

Ten minutes later he turned around and parked in front of the house again. He looked at me crying on the lawn.

"I'm sorry baby brother" he picked me up and actually hugged me.

* * *

"Daryl you have to talk to me when this happens"

Merle looked concerned and was stitching my wrists. That was during the rash of attempted suicides when I was seventeen.

* * *

Sophia was coming out of the barn and Carol ran to her, I grabbed her before she could get there, get hurt. Her eyes were milky white, almost with a yellow tint. They scared me. They weren't like Carol's anymore. Rick shot her in the head and Carol collapsed, like he shot her.

* * *

I got distracted, just watching Carol in that gaurd tower, shooting walkers. She was so pretty. It bothered me, but she was my main concern now.

* * *

I gently picked up her scarf. She's dead. My eyes watered immediately. She's my best friend. I just had to help Rick. I hated myself for not taking care of her.

* * *

I lifted her up and thanked god that she was alive. I should've looked sooner but at least shes safe. At least when she's in my arms she is. I carried her home.

* * *

Me and Merle almost died. But we were alive and he took me from the prison. I missed her so much. But I was with Merle now. I had to forget.

* * *

"I'm glad you came back"

I looked at her and smiled.

Me too

* * *

Merle was walking toward me and I was bawling like a little boy. His eyes scared me just like Sophia's did. I had to put him down but I didn't want to. I wanted my brother back.

No more Merle.

* * *

"He gave us a chance"

My fingers tingled in her hand.

* * *

My hand fell from hers and I saw her smile for the last time. Everything went white.

My body wasn't mine anymore.

And I was gone.


	4. The End (Carol's POV

I just watched the door. Like something would happen. No I just didn't want to see Daryl's lifeless body.

I felt his hand jerk. I looked down at it. When it moved again I let a tear roll down my cheek as I held his hand.

More tears fell as he squeezed back.

I cautiously looked at his face. His eyelids started to gently flutter open. I put my free hand on his cheek.

His eyes. His eyes weren't blue anymore. They weren't beautiful anymore. They were empty, depression. The whites of his eyes were red, almost black. The blue was now white and gray, they almost looked silver. His mouth opened a little and there was a slight groan in his breath. He looked at me. He moved his hands up onto my arms to pull himself up on. I grabbed my gun.

All I remembered was him saying that he would thank you while you put him down.

He got closer to my shoulder. His grunts got louder, and I cried as I pointed the gun at his head.

"I'm sorry, Daryl"

I pulled the trigger. I caught him before he fell and laid him down gently.

I picked up his hand and cried like he was still with me.

* * *

Carl opened the gate for me. I had to walk back. I got there on the back of Daryl's bike and I wasn't even gonna try driving it.

"Where's Daryl?"

I walked past him and his eyes wandered to my bloody hands and face.

Rick walked up to me with the same question "Where's Daryl?"

I looked at my hands. At the blood. And I started to cry. Rick pulled me into his arms and I could tell that he was crying too.

* * *

They wanted to give him a funeral but everybody admitted that they just didn't have the heart to go if there was one.

After they buried and went inside I hung around and covered his cross in Cherokee roses. It was the least I could do. It was our flower.

And besides, I still love him.


End file.
